Accidents Will Happen
by The Black Rosette
Summary: She came to the caves, her bronze curls bouncing. She met the boy that she thought she would spend forever with, but forever can be interrupted by something out of your control; something called life. And everyone knows you can't control life.
1. You're Human Again!

**Just so you know, this is set roughly two years after The Host, so everyone is two years older (Obviously), i.e. Jamie's now 16.**

**The girl, won't give away her name, she is like Lacy, she had the soul removed from her and now she is back to being human.**

**Just thought I'd add that, so make sure there was no confusion!**

**TheBlackRosette**

The girl slowly opened her eyes; she blinked in the harsh sunlight. She vaguely noticed that the light was flowing into the room through cracks in the ceiling. The air was stale and dry, it made her throat burn. There were people around her. A tall, skinny man, no older than forty, was looking down at her. He had kind eyes that gazed down at her.

A pretty blonde girl smiled at her. The girl had beautiful curls that spilled over her shoulders, her eyes were pale grey, and very pretty. A man had his arm around her waist, he was tall but skinny. He had black hair, the colour of ink, and beautiful eyes, the colour of sapphires. Next to him was another man with very tan skin, his eyes and his hair were almost the same colour too. He had a strong jaw, but a kind face. A girl with long, mahogany hair clung to his side, she also held a boy with dark brown hair's hand. The last person was an old man with a bushy beard. He had a friendly smile, despite his rugged look.

All the people smiled at the girl, she was so confused who were they? The girl blinked, but the people were still there. They were all so dirty, why were they so dirty? And this bed was so uncomfortable, where was her nice soft pillow, and her favourite teddy, she wanted her teddy.

"Hello, I'm Doc; do you know your name?" The man with kind eyes asked.

"Where am I?" The girl whispered. "Who are you?"

"Well as I said, I'm Doc; this is Wanda, Ian, Jared, Melanie, Jamie and Jeb. This is a cave, in the middle of the Arizonian desert. Do you remember the planet has been invaded?"

"Arizonian desert? Invaded?" The girl whispered; it was coming back to her now. Those things, those silver things. They'd stolen the planet, our planet, Earth.

"Here let me try Doc," the girl with the curls, Wanda, told Doc. The man beside her, Ian was it? He dropped his arm from Wanda's waist. Wanda bent down to be level with the girl.

"Hello, what's your name?" Wanda asked kindly.

"I don't know," the girl whispered. The girl smiled, her eyes caught in the light. Silver flashed across the girls face, and bounced off the walls. The girl's hand flew to her mouth, she gasped.

"You're one of them! Get away from me! Don't put another one of those… those… things in my head!" The girl screeched. Wanda's face grew sad, she stood up, the man, Ian, put his arm around her again.

"How can you touch her?" The girl screeched.

"Mel?" Doc whispered. The girl with the dark brown hair came and leant down to the girl, just as Wanda had. The girl whimpered, was she a thing too? Mel noticed the girl's reaction.

"Hey, it's okay, Wanda's our friend. She doesn't want to hurt us," Mel soothed. "What's your name sweetie? How old are you?"

"I'm not sure? How do I know one of those things isn't in me?" The girl whimpered. Doc handed Mel something. Mel held it up to the girl's face, it was a mirror.

The girl examined her face in the mirror. She still had the same coppery brown curls she'd always had, and the same emerald eyes, but no silver in them now. Her skin was still pale; she'd lived in New York her whole life. She still had full, red lips and a little dimple on her chin. Last time she'd seen herself in a mirror she had been only eight. How old was she now?

"How long since they invaded?" The girl whispered.

"Eight years now, why?" Mel asked curiously.

"I'm sixteen!" The girl gasped. She'd been eight when they planet was invaded, so long ago. Eight years of her life she'd never get back.

"Me too!" The boy who'd been holding Mel's hand grinned.

"That's Jamie, my little brother," Mel smiled.

"Hello Jamie," the girl smiled. He smiled back, he had a nice smile.

"Do you remember your name?" Jamie asked.

"The silver thing, she called herself Flying Song," the girl whispered.

"She was from the Singing World," Wanda smiled. The girl frowned.

"That's where the Bats are from, right Wanda?" Jamie asked.

"Yes, it's the planet of the Bats," Wanda smiled at him. The girl frowned even more.

"So you can remember your soul's name, but can you remember yours?" Mel asked. The girl shook her head.

"I had a brother, Tom, and my Mum's name was Denise. I didn't have Dad; we lived in New York, in an apartment. I remember Mum packing some stuff and telling us we had to go, she said it was too dangerous in the city. We hid in these woods, Mum would go raiding and leave me and Tom in the woods, and then…" The girl stopped, what had happened then?

"Did your Mum get caught?" Mel asked gently.

"Yes, but I was only eight, I didn't understand," the girl whispered. She searched desperately for more memories; they were coming, but slowly.

"Our Dad brought tried to bring the Seekers to us," Jamie told her.

"Yes, that's what happened, they came for us. They sounded so kind, we went with them. We were only little kids, we didn't know what was happening, and then…" The girl's voice trailed off.

"You were gone," the man, Ian, whispered.

"Yes, I was gone," she confirmed.

"So you can remember all that but not your name?" Jamie asked.

"It seems silly, but yes, I can't remember my name," the girl grimaced.

"Maybe some of you should go, it might make it easier if there are less people here," Doc decided. Everyone but Doc, Mel and Jamie left. After the other people left, the three remaining people got to work helping the girl to remember her name.

"What did it start with?" Jamie asked.

"A C maybe, or maybe a K, or maybe an M," the girl told Jamie.

"Chelsea, Kelsey, Caitlin, Kelly, Mikaela?" Mel suggested. The girl shook her head.

"Cara, Kate, Molly, Chloe, Christine?" Jamie asked, but still not right.

"Madeline, Katherine, Millie, Charlie?" Doc suggested, still not right though.

"Caroline, Kirstin, Mandy, Cherry, Kristy?" Jamie tried again.

"Callie, Corinna, Macy, Kristen, Kayla…" Mel was cut off by the girl.

"What was the third one?" She asked.

"Macy, is that your name, Macy?" Mel asked.

"I don't think it's quite right, but it sounds similar," the girl told Mel.

"Don't say Lacy, we don't need _another _one!" Jamie groaned. Both Doc and Mel giggled.

"No, it's not Lacy."

"How about Jaycee?" Mel asked. The girl shook her head.

"Stacey?" Still not right.

"Tracey?" Not yet, keep trying.

"Casey?" Jamie asked.

"That's it, Casey. My name's Casey!" Casey beamed. "Casey Eliza Queens."

"Well then Casey Eliza Queens, welcome to your new home. You are now, yet again human," Jamie grinned. Casey smiled back; it was nice to know she was human.

**Good, bad, shit, amazing? What do you think? R&R greatly appreciated.**

**TheBlackRosette**


	2. Chocolate Sparks

Jamie and Wanda walked slowly through the caves. Wanda kept sneaking glances at Jamie.

"What?" Jamie asked noticing Wanda.

"You're grown up so much," Wanda smiled.

"I'd like to remind you that _you _aren't that much older than me!" Jamie laughed.

"True, but I don't look any different!" Wanda pointed out.

"And I do?" Jamie raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you do. You're taller, and your face has got skinnier, and you're more tan," Wanda told Jamie.

"That barely counts as looking grown up."

"Yes it does, you're definitely handsomer," Jamie snorted. "You are Jamie! Just wait, some poor girl's going to come to these caves, and she will fall head over heels for you!"

"As if, there's like not a soul left in the world for me!" Jamie grimaced.

"Now who said she had to be a soul?"

"Wanda…"

"Kidding, I know what you meant," Wanda smiled.

"Wanda?"

"Yes?"

"What it like?"

"What's what like?"

"Being in love, knowing that someone is always there, waking up next to the same person every day," Jamie listed.

"Well I suppose, it's nice, but frustrating too," Wanda told Jamie.

"Frustrating? How?"

"Well, I wouldn't trade Ian for anything, but sometimes I do wish for just a little space, not in a bad way. Just because, if you're with someone every second, you'll get bored with them, and I never want to get bored with Ian, because I love him, you know, it's like the thing about too much being too much," Wanda explained.

"Makes sense," Jamie nodded.

* * *

><p>Jamie sat eating his lunch. There was a flash of bronze as someone sat beside him.<p>

"Hi," Casey smiled.

"Hey Casey, they let you out of the Hospital wing," Jamie smiled.

"Yeah, those cots were so uncomfortable!" Casey groaned, rubbing her back.

"You know you only get a mattress now, right?"

"Oh I know, but even a mattress has to be better than those cots," Casey laughed.

"They found you a place to stay?" Jamie asked.

"Oh yeah, with um… Lily and um…" Casey trailed off.

"Lily and Heidi?"

"Yeah, that's it. I've never been good at remembering names," Casey explained. Jamie smiled; he couldn't help but notice Casey was really pretty. She had long curls that cascaded over her shoulders; her curls were a coppery brown, almost bronze. Her eyes we emerald green, they shone even in the dull light. She had long eyelashes that curled on the tips. She had full, red lips and pale skin, and her features were soft, and rather delicate.

"Have I got something in my teeth?" Casey asked looking puzzled.

"Huh?"

"You were staring at me; I thought maybe there was something in my teeth?"

"No, no you're fine," Jamie told her.

"Okay then," Casey laughed. She put a spoonful of beans into her mouth, her nose wrinkled.

"You don't like baked beans?" Jamie asked.

"They're not my favourite," Casey admitted.

"Come with me, I've got something better," Jamie told her. He led Casey out of the Dining Hall and into the corridors.

"It's so dark! How do find your way around?" Casey asked.

"You get used to it, here I'll help you," Jamie told her. He reached for her hand; he then led her through the passages to the sleeping quarters.

One, two, three, four, Jamie counted the doors. He stopped in front of his door. He moved the 'door' out of the way and went inside, Casey followed.

"So this is Jamie's room," Casey smiled.

"It's Brandt and Aaron's room too?" Jamie told her, he rustled through his clothes and belongings. All the way at the bottom, there it was. Jamie pulled it out triumphantly and handed it to Casey.

"What is it?" Casey asked.

"What is it? I've been saving this for months, Casey!" Jamie exclaimed, "Its chocolate."

"Oh yum! Oh are you really giving me your chocolate?" Casey squealed. She snapped the chocolate in half. "Here, have some!"

"It's yours, I gave it to you! Think of it as a welcoming gift!" Jamie explained.

"I insist! Take some!" Casey shoved some towards Jamie.

"No, it's yours!"

"Jamie, I'm offering to share the chocolate with you, take it!" Casey laughed.

"Casey, it's yours!" Jamie said, slightly exasperated. Casey smiled evilly.

"Mm, that smells so good, too bad Jamie isn't having any!" She cooed, smelling the chocolate. She bit a bit off the block. "Mm, so yummy, such a shame Jamie doesn't want it, more for me I guess!"

"You are evil!" Jamie exclaimed.

"I know right! Want some yet?" Casey asked. Jamie laughed, Casey joined in. Casey held out the chocolate to Jamie, he took it and took a bite. He grinned at her.

"It's nice to hang out with someone my own age," Jamie smiled at Casey.

"Flying Song had lots of friends in New York, my friends, hers now," Casey mumbled.

"Wait so the soul kept your friendship group?"

"Yeah, it's kind of weird right. I mean we would have looked just the same, except we wouldn't have been the same, no one was," Casey whispered the last part.

"No one is you mean, the souls are still here," Jamie reminded Casey.

"Yeah, I hate them!" Casey hissed.

"They're not all bad, I swear. Wanda's really nice, so is Sunny, you've just gotta get used them, you know," Jamie told Casey.

"I still feel weird about them being here, but hey, I trust you. If you say they're nice; then I believe you," Casey smiled at Jamie.

"How can you trust someone you just met?"

"I don't know, it's just feels right to trust you, like I'm supposed to or something," Casey told Jamie, he looked up at her. Their eyes met, just for a moment. Casey blushed and looked away quickly.

"I um… better go… I have things to do…" Jamie's voice trailed off. He got up and headed for the door.

"Jamie, thank you for the chocolate," Casey called after him. Jamie just nodded; he walked down the corridor and around the corner. He then leant against the wall.

_Well that was confusing, _he thought to himself. Had there been sparks? He didn't know; he didn't know anything about this. He hadn't talked to someone his own age in so many years, let alone a girl, a really pretty girl.

Jamie stared at the wall completely confused; he tried desperately to work out what had happened. He was completely tuned out to the world. So much so he didn't even notice Mel saying his name.

"Jamie? Yoo-hoo, Jamie, you with us?" Mel asked. "Jamie?"

"What?" Jamie said suddenly reacting.

"What planet were you on?" Mel laughed.

"Don't know, the Singing World maybe," Jamie mumbled.

"You looked like you were doing some serious thinking," Mel noted.

"Something like that," Jamie muttered.

"What's wrong Jamie?"

"When you met Jared, was there like a spark?"

"Well, he held a knife to my throat, kissed me; I kneed him in the balls and bolted. Does that count as a spark?" Mel asked.

"I don't think so."

"Why do you want to know?"

"No reason, no reason at all," Jamie answered, but he knew that wasn't true.

* * *

><p><strong>I know it wasn't the best but it was important to the story, I have big plans **evil laugh** <strong>

**R&R is greatly appreciated; I love to hear from you.**

**TheBlackRosette **


	3. Casey the Heart Throb

Jamie watched Casey from across the kitchen. She was sitting with Lily and Heidi, they were laughing about something. She looked so beautiful. The light from one of the cracks on the roof shone down right on her. Her hair glowed as though she had a halo. She noticed Jamie looking at her and smiled at him. His heart seemed to throb as he smiled back.

Casey had been in the caves for almost two months now, and she was all that Jamie could think about. Casey had stolen his heart and soul. When she was around he got jellylegs and his heart ached, but when she wasn't around Jamie yearned to see her. Her smile made his heart skip a beat and throb uncontrollably. He got butterflies in his stomach every time she spoke to him. Every night Jamie dreamed of Casey, and about chocolate. Yes, Jamie was crushing, and yes, it was obvious.

"Hey Jamie," Mel smiled plopping down beside her brother.

"Hey Jamie," Wanda smiled sitting on the other side of Jamie.

"Hi Mel, hi Wanda," Jamie said warily.

"Hey Wanda?" Mel asked slyly.

"Yes Mel?"

"Doesn't Casey look pretty today, I mean look at that glow in her hair!" Mel cooed.

"Oh yeah, she is _so _pretty! And she has the loveliest smile!" Wanda cooed.

"Definitely, what do you think Jamie?" Mel asked slyly.

_I think she's beautiful. I think she's perfect in every way, I think she's amazing and funny, I think maybe I love her; _Jamie thought.

"Hello, Jamie?" Mel asked.

"About what?" Jamie mumbled.

"About Casey, Don't you think she's pretty?" Wanda asked.

"I haven't really noticed," Jamie mumbled with a shrug. Wanda and Mel caught each other's eyes and smiled. "I've got things to do," Jamie mumbled. He got up and left Mel and Wanda giggling.

"Bullshit, he hasn't noticed how pretty that girl is!" Mel laughed. "God Wanda, our Jamie's smitten!"

"Our Jamie's growing up," Wanda smiled.

"Should we make Jared give him 'the talk,'" Mel smiled.

"God, do you think he's grown up that much?" Wanda exclaimed.

"He's sixteen and he's a boy, do we need to say anymore?" Mel asked.

"I suppose, but do you think Casey likes him?" Wanda asked. They both looked over at Casey. She was watching Jamie leave the kitchen; she had a similar expression on her face to the one that Jamie wore when he looked at her.

"You know I think she does Wanda," Mel decided. Mel had her serious thinking face on now.

"What are you thinking?" Wanda asked hesitantly.

"Maybe we should give Casey a little push in the 'Jamie' direction," Mel told Wanda.

"I don't like the sound of this," Wanda commented, biting her lip.

* * *

><p>"Knock, knock," Mel called through the floral sheets that hung over the doorway to Lily, Heidi and Casey's room.<p>

"Come in," someone called. Mel pushed passed the sheets with Wanda in tow.

"Hi Mel, hi Wanda," Lily smiled at them. All three girls were there.

"Oh hey, so um can we talk to Casey?" Mel asked.

"Sure," Heidi smiled.

"Alone," Mel added. Heidi and Lily exchange looks, but they both stood up and left.

"Can I help you?" Casey asked.

"Do you like Jamie?" Mel asked abruptly.

"Mel, what happened to being subtle?" Wanda asked.

"Sorry, I got carried away. So do you?" Mel looked at Casey.

"I don't know," Casey mumbled.

"Oh come on, you guys having been doing sticky eyes since you got here!" Mel exclaimed.

"What?"

"I can't be bothered explaining it, but seriously, do you like him?" Mel persisted.

"Well yeah, I guess I do…" Casey began.

"Then kiss him," Mel cut her off.

"Mel!" Wanda groaned.

"What, I think its great advice," Mel pointed out. Wanda rolled her eyes.

"You think I should kiss him?" Casey asked Mel.

"Ah yeah, he's got it bad for you," Mel told Casey.

"Did he say that?" Casey asked.

"Well not in so many words, but he definitely does," Mel told Casey. Casey smiled.

_Wow! Jamie likes me! Wow! _She thought excitedly to herself.

* * *

><p>Casey bit her lip, she was nervous. She'd never felt like this before. Flying Song had had a crush on a boy at her school, and sure he'd been good looking, but it wasn't anything like this.<p>

Casey knocked the planks of wood that covered Jamie's doorway. There was no answer, she knocked again, but a little harder.

"Come in," she heard Jamie's voice call. She moved one of the planks of wood and slipped through the gap. She then leant against the hard wall.

"Hey," she smiled slightly.

"Hey," Jamie replied. "Did you want something?"

"Oh not really," she mumbled. There was an awkward silence.

"You know…" Jamie started.

"Someone…" Casey began at the same time. "You go first."

"You look really beautiful today Casey," Jamie told her. Casey blushed.

"Thank you," she mumbled.

"What were you going to say?" Jamie asked.

"Well…" Casey sat down beside Jamie now. "Someone told me I should do something…"

"Like what?" Jamie asked.

"Like this," Casey told him. She leaned forwards and kissed him lightly on the lips. She pulled away after a few seconds. She smiled at Jamie and he smiled back.

"Who told you to do that?" Jamie asked breathlessly.

"Your sister," Casey admitted sheepishly.

"She always was quite smart," Jamie laughed. He kissed Casey again.

* * *

><p><strong>I always imagine Jamie as Josh Hutcherson (the guy from Bridge to Terabithia), Wanda after she's in Pet's body is definitely Anna-Sophia Robb, (Leslie from Bridge to Terabithia). That's just my opinion though.<strong>

**Also I don't know if you've ever heard the song 'Hearts a Mess' by 'Gotye', but it's like my ultimate song for The Host. If you get a chance look it up and have a listen, see if you agree.**

**TheBlackRosette**


	4. Mel's Change of Heart

"Jared?" Mel asked. They were sitting in the kitchen eating lunch together.

"Yeah, babe?"

"Could you talk to Jamie for me?" Jared turned to look at Mel.

"Why?" He asked suspiciously.

"Um… Well I may have given someone some advice about him, and I think they may have acted a little… too much on the advice," Mel hinted.

"What advice would that be…?"

"I told Casey to kiss him," Mel admitted.

"Whoa Mel!"

"I know, I know, Wanda told me not to. I couldn't help myself!" Mel pouted.

"So you want me to give him that talk?"

"Well you know, just because we're living in caves in the middle of the Arizonian desert, doesn't mean he isn't a sixteen year old boy with hormones."

"Eww," Jared scrunched his nose up.

"Oh grow up! It's Jamie we're talking about!"

"Yeah but now you've said it I can't get it out of my head!" Mel rolled her eyes.

"Seriously, you're not helping!" Mel told him.

"Sorry, are you sure though?"

"I don't know, but they've been doing that thing with their eyes, like all day!" Jared gave Mel a puzzled look.

"What thing with their eyes?" He asked.

"You know when, oh for God's sake there's now point explaining it to you!"

"Well okay then Miss Grumpy!"

"Shut up! I'm worried about Jamie's…" Mel struggled for the right word, "Innocence," Jared snorted at her word choice, Mel ignored him, "And all you can do is make jokes!"

"His innocence?" Jared snorted. "You have to be kidding!"

"Jesus Christ Jared, who's side are you on?" Mel threw her hands up in frustration. Several people glanced over at them.

"I didn't know there were sides to this," Jared pointed out.

"You're still not helping!" Mel snapped.

"Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? You're starting to sound like Lacy!" Jared pointed out.

"Hey!" Lacy snapped from the next table.

"Whoops sorry, didn't see you there!" Jared apologised to a scowling Lacy.

"You're not taking this seriously! I'll go talk to Ian; maybe he'll actually be helpful!" Mel snapped at Jared.

"Eww, you're going to tell Ian as well?" Mel glared at Jared and got up to leave.

"Seriously?" Jared grabbed Mel's hand.

"Fine, I'll talk to him, okay!" Jared told Mel.

"Thank you," Mel said dismissively, she then pulled her hand from Jared's grip and left the kitchen.

Jared knocked on Jamie's door. "Jamie?" He called out.

* * *

><p>"Come in," Jamie called out. Jared moved a plank of wood out of the way and slipped into Jamie's room.<p>

"Hey Jamie," Jared looked at Jamie.

"Hey Jared, did you want something?" Jamie asked curiously.

"Mel wanted me to talk to you," Jared told Jamie.

"Mel seems to be telling people to do a lot of things lately," Jamie smiled.

"So, anything new with you?" Jared asked.

"Not really, same room, same caves, same people, same soup for breakfast and lunch, and dinner for that matter," Jamie told Jared.

"So nothing new at all?"

"Well there is one thing," Jamie told Jared.

"You can tell me," Jared said sitting down next to Jamie.

"Well there's this weird feeling…"

"Yeah…"

"This feeling that you, and Mel, and Wanda are meddling with my life," Jamie said bluntly.

"Oh, right."

"So what was it that Mel wanted to talk to me about?"

"You can't guess?"

"Oh."

"Yeah, sorry."

"She was the one who told Casey to kiss me."

"Yeah I know kind of stupid right? I mean she started it," Jamie laughed at that.

"Let me guess, you made a big joke of it, she cracked the shits, and you got stuck giving me 'the talk,'" Jamie laughed.

"That sounds about right," Jared laughed.

"I know Mel way too well!" Jamie added.

"So have you and Casey, or is Mel just overreacting?"

"Mel's just overreacting, we only made out a few times," Jamie admitted, Jared snorted.

"That will make Mel much happier to hear you had a few make out sessions," Jared said drily. Jamie laughed.

"You don't have to tell her."

"Yes, well I think I might 'forget' to mention it," Jared laughed.

"She's probably going to cracks the shits again anyway," Jamie smiled.

"Why?"

"Well she'll say you have put the idea in my head!"

"Oh no, the horror!" Jared dramatically covered his mouth with his hand. Jamie laughed.

"God, Mel's would think you're the worst talk giver ever if she heard you!"

"That's why if she's asks, you tell her I was very serious and extremely sincere!" Jared told Jamie.

"Serious faces!" Jamie laughed, both he and Jared put on their serious faces. They both laughed at the same time at the sight of themselves.

"But seriously Jamie, I'm not going to tell you what you can and can't do, I mean I can't say I was a saint when I was sixteen; but just make good choices, okay," Jared told Jamie.

"I know, I know, play it safe, all the way," Jamie assured Jared.

"I got to go, you stay out of trouble."

"You know me," Jamie said innocently.

"That's what I'm worried about," Jared grinned at Jamie. "See ya kid."

"See ya."

* * *

><p>Jared walked into his and Mel's room.<p>

"Hey," Jared smiled.

"So..."

"Its fine, they've only kissed!" Jared told Mel.

"So they haven't…"

"No! Stop being an overprotective sister!"

"Wait, so this means, if you asked him… Oh no Jared!"

"What?"

"You idiot, now you've put the idea in his head! You stupid idiot! Damn it!"

"That kid's a genius," Jared muttered in amazement. Jamie sure was right about Mel cracking the shits!

"What?" Mel snapped.

"Nothing, I don't think he was really thinking about it…"

"Bullshit! He's sixteen! What did you say?"

"I told him I wasn't a saint when I was sixteen, and to make sure he made the right choices," Jared explained. Mel ran a hand through her hair.

"So you basically told him you don't mind if he does!"

"Well yeah, I'd be a hypocrite if I told him not to."

"I'm going for a bath," Mel hissed. She stalked out of the room fuming.

"What did I do wrong?" Jared murmured.

* * *

><p><strong>If anyone reading has any suggestions on how I can make my story better, I'm open for suggestions. <strong>

**R&R, please, it's a drug, it makes you want to write more!**

**TheBlackRosette**


	5. A Room to Himself

"Wait so the soul is still here?" Casey gasped.

"We haven't had a chance to take it to the airfield," Jared told her.

"Are you going to?" Casey asked.

"Yes, Brandt and Aaron are leaving tonight to take it back tonight," Jeb informed her.

"We're aiming to send her to the Bears," Wanda added.

"Why not send her back to that other planet?"

"The Bats?" Wanda asked. "The Bat are far too close to Earth, it's only a ten year round trip. We have to send her far enough away, that she cannot turn us in."

"Oh."

"So if Brandt and Aaron are away, I have my room to myself?" Jamie asked. Mel raised an eyebrow.

"Yep, a whole night by yourself," Jared told Jamie. Mel jabbed Jared between the ribs. "Ow! What the hell?"

"Jared!" Mel hissed. Everyone was looking at Mel. She coughed slightly.

"Anyway…" Jeb started to continue talking.

"Jared, come with me, now!" Mel hissed. Jared followed Mel from the kitchen and into the tunnel.

"What? Why'd you jab me in the ribs?"

"You idiot! You practically encouraged him, again!" Mel hissed.

"Are you still on about this?" Jared laughed. "Jesus Mel, lighten up!" Mel glared at Jared as he walked back into the kitchen.

* * *

><p>Everyone started heading back to their own rooms and off to finish their chores. Jamie pulled on Casey's hand and led her into an empty tunnel. He kissed her and then wrapped his arms around her waist. Casey put her arms casually around Jamie's neck.<p>

"Hey," she whispered.

"Hey," Jamie smiled at her. Casey kissed him again.

"So…" She whispered against his lips.

"So… I have my room all to myself," Jamie told Casey.

"I know!"

"So do you want to come over?" Jamie asked, kissing Casey again.

"Who wants to know?"

"Your super sexy boyfriend," Jamie smiled.

"Who?" Casey mocked. "Well as he's not around, so I'll just have to go to someone else's room!"

"So…"

"What time?"

"Whenever, just watch out for Mel."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. See you in your room, after dinner," Casey told Jamie with a wicked smile.

* * *

><p>"Hey," Casey pushed into Jamie's room.<p>

"Hey beautiful."

"I'm not beautiful," Casey mumbled.

"You're right, beautiful is an understatement." Casey blushed; she then sat down beside Jamie.

"More like an overstatement!" Casey laughed nervously.

"Hey, Case, you're beautiful. Don't deny it, don't be so modest!"

"Jamie?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I kiss you?"

"Do you really have to ask?" Casey laughed and kissed Jamie. She then curled into him. "You know Jamie; I think I may be in love."

"You know Casey; I think I may be too!"

"We sound so corny!"

"Maybe because we are," Jamie smiled. He kissed Casey again, but didn't pull away.

* * *

><p>Casey woke up slightly disorientated. Where were Lily and Heidi? Of course she then remembered she was still Jamie's room. Jamie had gone though, she was all alone. Casey wondered what the time was. She sat up and looked around the room. She found a pile of clean clothes beside her and smiled. There was a note on top of them though. It said;<p>

_Got chores to do, sorry. Brought you the clothes, see you soon, J x_

Casey smiled, how had he got them without waking Lily and Heidi? Never mind that. Casey pulled the clean shirt over her head. It smelt so much better than her crumbled, dirty one she had been wearing last night. She then pulled over the denim cut off and the found her battered old converse across the room. She then made her dash from Jamie's room; praying she wouldn't be seen. She walked through the tunnels of the caves, and went straight to the kitchen. As she walked into the kitchen someone was waiting.

"Casey! You didn't do your breakfast chores!" Sharon snapped. "Where were you?"

"I…I…" Lily and Heidi swooped up behind Casey.

"Casey wasn't feeling the best, we decided to let her sleep," Lily told Sharon, Heidi nodded.

"Whatever, Casey you're on dinner then," Sharon barked, she then left the kitchen. Heidi and Lily pulled Casey onto a stall and looked at her expectedly.

"So, where were you?" Heidi asked.

"Where?" Casey asked.

"Yes, where?"

"Well, you can't tell…"

"Go on…"

"I was in Jamie's room," Casey admitted.

"No way!" Lily gasped.

"Mel going to kill you!" Heidi giggled.

"Oh shut up!" Casey laughed. "You can't tell, especially not Melanie."

"Our lips are sealed," Heidi told her, pretending to zip her lips.

* * *

><p><strong>So What do you think? I'm sorry I didn't update earlier, but I have holidays soon, so there should be way more updates then!<strong>

**R&R, you know I love it!**

**TheBlackRosette**


	6. A Little Help From Wanda

Casey bit her lip. That couldn't be right, could it? She checked again; two months, eighteen days.

"No freakin' way," she exclaimed aloud. She was looking at the little 'calendar' she'd drawn for herself. She mostly used it to mark her 'red' days. She shoved it under her pillow and sighed. That couldn't be right! She must have messed it up.

"Yeah, that's it! I just stuffed up the months…" Casey forced a smile; but she was frightened the dates were right. Lily came into the room.

"Hey Case," she smiled.

"Hey," Casey mumbled.

"Are you okay Case?"

"Yeah, s'pose. Wanda does the raids doesn't she?" Casey asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Oh, no reason."

* * *

><p>Casey walked to the cave that had two real doors covering it. She knew it was early, but this was important. She knocked on the door and waited. No answer. She knocked again. Someone moved the door open slightly, a blurry eyed Ian was looking through the opening. All he was wearing was a pair of boxers, and he looked like he needed a shave.<p>

"Yes?" He asked bluntly.

"I need Wanda," Casey told him.

"Do you know how early it is? The sun isn't even up!" Ian cried.

"I know," Casey cried back. "Please, I need Wanda." Ian sighed, and moved out of the way. He gestured his arm towards Wanda who was just behind him.

"Casey?" Wanda asked.

"Can I speak to her; _alone_?"Casey asked.

"Whatever, I'm going to have a bath." Ian grabbed a t-shirt from the floor and left rubbing his eyes.

"So what's wrong?" Wanda asked. Casey pushed the doors together, and then turned back to Wanda. She was wearing an oversized shirt, which Casey assumed was Ian's. He blonde curls were fluffy and knotted.

"I need you to take me on a raid," Casey blurted out.

"What, why?"

"I'm, I'm scared, I, checked, it's been more two months!" Casey whispered. "Oh my God!"

"By two months you mean…"

"Yes!"

"Oh my God!" Wanda gasped.

"I know!" Casey gasped.

"Jamie!" Wanda gasped.

"I know!"

"Oh God, meet me in the plaza in ten minutes! Wanda told Casey. Casey nodded and left the room. She went straight to the plaza. Wanda eventually came into the plaza, now fully dressed with her hair tied back.

"Let's go," Wanda said walking straight passed Casey.

"Do you have keys for the car?"

"Yep, Jeb and heavy sleeper, I'm light. It was easy," Wanda told her.

* * *

><p>Wanda pulled off the rough desert onto the highway.<p>

"Will they notice we're gone?" Casey asked. Wanda snorted.

"Yes!" She laughed. "Oh I'm going to be in so much trouble!"

"Like, I'm not already!"

"It could just be, I don't know malnourishment," Wanda suggested. Casey looked across at her. "Or not."

"Or not."

"Have you been throwing up?"

"I haven't actually thrown up, but I haven't been feeling well," Casey told Wanda. They sat in silence all the way to Tuscan. When they got there Wanda drove to a small chemist just off the highway.

"Wait here," Wanda told Casey. Casey nodded and sat in the seat feeling miserable. Wanda was in and out in ten minutes; but to Casey it felt like an eternity. Wanda passed the small box to Casey as she got in.

"I know a park near here, with a toilet block," Wanda told Casey. Casey nodded, Wanda drove to the park; there was only one other car in the lot. Wanda got out, but Casey just stayed staring at the box.

"Casey, I know you're scared, but come on," Wanda smiled; she took Casey hand and squeezed it. Casey got out of the car and followed Wanda to the toilet block. Wanda waited while she did what she had to do. They then waited three minutes together.

After three minutes they looked down at the shit.

"Shit," Casey gasped.

"Jamie!" Wanda exclaimed. Casey giggled, but she still had tears rolling down her cheeks. She shoved the stick in a bin that was meant for used paper towels; and kicked the wall. Wanda put an arm around her, and Casey cried.

"This sucks," Casey whispered.

"We need to go back," Wanda whispered. Casey nodded and slowly went with Wanda to the car. They drove in silence back to Picacho Peak. They pulled off the highway and onto the desert.

After leaving the car in its hiding place they began walking the last little bit back to the caves. They didn't even get back before people came to get them.

"Where the hell did you go?" Mel screamed running towards them.

"What were you thinking?" Jared roared, running just behind her.

"Wanda, you're okay!" Ian cried in delight. All three of them stopped when they saw Casey tear streaked face, and Wanda's face of pure sympathy.

"What happened?" Mel asked.

"Nothing, everything's fine," Wanda told them. She guided Casey back into the caves. As they came into the plaza Jamie rushed forward.

"Casey!" He cried. Casey burst into tears again and bolted for the sleeping quarters. How would she tell Jamie?

* * *

><p><strong>R&amp;R, please! And please check out my other Host fic, <strong>_**Finding Home.**_

**TheBlackRosette**


	7. You'll Be Right

Jamie followed Casey to her cave. She was curled up on her bed, sobbing.

"Case?"

"You'll hate me," she whispered.

"Never."

"No you will _hate _me. Everyone will."

"Why would they?"

"I'm so stupid."

"No you're not," Jamie sat down beside Casey, she flinched away from him. "What's wrong?"

"Oh Jamie!" Casey cried. "Do you love me?"

"Yes."

"No matter what?" Casey whispered. Jamie nodded. "Jamie, I'm pregnant!"

"W-what?" Jamie whispered.

"I knew you'd hate me!" Casey wailed. Her sobs ripped through the silence, tearing it to shreds; but more than that they made Jamie's heartache. He couldn't bear to hear Casey cry like this. He reached forward and wrapped his arms around Casey, he pulled her into him. Her tears soaked his dirty shirt, but that wasn't important.

"I love you," Jamie whispered to Casey. Casey continued to cry, and Jamie just held her. After sometime Mel, Jared, Kyle and Ian burst through the door.

"Wanda won't say anything. Why did you leave?" Mel snapped.

"We need to know," Jared added.

"We need to know now," Kyle extended.

"Please," Ian said more quietly. They all looked around and realised what they'd walked in on. Casey looked up at them with red-rimmed, leaky eyes, and Jamie shot daggers at each of them in turn.

"Did you just break up or something?" Jared asked. Mel jabbed him in the ribs.

"Don't be so insensitive!" Mel hissed.

"Did you knock her up?" Kyle asked. Ian kicked him in the leg.

"Shut up Kyle!"

"Just piss off," Jamie snapped at them. They all backed out of the room slowly.

* * *

><p>Everyone but Jamie and Casey were sitting in the kitchen eating and talking.<p>

"Wanda we need to know why you went!" Jared insisted.

"And I'm telling you I can't tell you!" Wanda snapped back.

"Why not?" Ian asked curiously.

"You need, um ask Casey or Jamie. It's not my business," Wanda mumbled.

"Well it has to be your business if you went with Casey!" Mel snapped.

"I still think Jamie knocked Casey up!" Kyle muttered.

"We all know whose fault it would be if he did!" Mel hissed at Jared.

"I talked to him. I can't be held responsible if he took the talk in the wrong way!" Jared defended himself.

"You don't even know that he did knock her up!" Lily told them. There was a cough from the doorway. Jamie walked into the kitchen. Everyone turned to stare at him.

"Is Casey okay?" Wanda asked cautiously. Jamie nodded and sat down beside her. "Are you okay?" Wanda asked more quietly. Jamie shrugged.

"Jamie did you or didn't you knock Casey up?" Kyle asked.

"Kyle!" Several people cried at once. Jamie just looked away.

"Jamie!" Mel exclaimed. "Jared, this is entirely your fault!"

"I didn't do anything wrong!" Jared cried. Jamie stared at his feet.

"Jamie?" Wanda whispered. "Tell me, are you okay?" She asked putting an arm around him. "Come on Jamie, let's go." Wanda kept her arm around Jamie and took him to his room. She sat down beside him and gave his shoulders a squeeze.

"This sucks," Jamie whispered.

"Yeah."

"I'm sixteen."

"Yeah."

"There are so few humans left."

"Yeah."

"And this still happened."

"Kind of funny."

"Shut up."

"This is the worst conversation ever."

"No shit."

"Jamie, you don't need to swear."

"I'm a grown up, I can do what I want."

"I think that's what got you into this mess."

"Thanks."

"Jamie, don't worry. It'll be okay," Wanda gave Jamie's shoulder another squeeze.

"I should talk to Casey."

"Go then, go talk to her," Wanda told him, "And Jamie?"

"Yeah?"

"Love ya kid."

"Love ya too sis."

* * *

><p>"Hey." Casey looked up at Jamie.<p>

"Jamie, you came back. I thought you hated me. I was so scared," Casey wailed. Jamie threw his arms around her and held her tightly.

"I told you Casey; I love you, I'm not going anywhere," Jamie whispered into Casey's hair.

"Jamie?"

"Yeah?"

"If it's a boy. Can we call him Tom?"

"Why?"

"It was my brother's name," Casey whispered.

"Sure," Jamie told her. He hugged her tighter and knew he was okay. When Wanda had asked, he hadn't been sure. Now he knew though. He was okay. He was okay because he loved Casey and that was all that mattered.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry it's short. I was going totally blank. (Gasp! I know). The same thing happened this morning when I was updating Teenage Wasteland! (My TD fic). BTW If my fics start to sound like DJH please tell me. I've been watching WAY too much of it lately! (DJH is Degrassi Junior High)<strong>

**Review please!**

**TheBlackRosette**


	8. She's Not Well

Jamie looked across at Casey. She was asleep, finally. Her tear streaked face was a regular sight nowadays. Every time she cried, every sob she let out ripped Jamie's heart into bits. He hated seeing her so unhappy, so miserable. It had been two months, not long after it was made known she was pregnant, Brandt and Aaron had moved in with Heath, and Casey had moved into Jamie's room.

Every night it seemed Casey would cry, or ask Jamie why he was with her, if he really did love her. It was endless, and it was getting worse with every passing day. Not only that, but she was jumpy and scared. She barely did anything; she slept, ate and lay on her mattress silently. Jamie was worried, but was unsure of what he should do. Maybe he should take her to see Doc, see if he knew what was wrong; but he'd never get Casey over to the hospital wing. So he tried to comfort her, though it did little. As time moved though, Jamie started to wonder if it was enough to comfort her, or if it was worse than that.

"You taking dinner to her again?" Trudy asked raising an eyebrow at Jamie. He nodded, and he was. Casey never wanted to eat with everyone else. She made Jamie bring her to her in her cave. Trudy sighed. "Is she okay?"

"I don't know to be honest, she's so anxious, you know," Jamie told her.

"Well give her my best." And Jamie nodded. Trudy always told Jamie this, and he gave always her the food, which she devoured mercilessly, and told her everyone was worried. Casey would just mumble something about being fine and return to eating.

"Hey kid," Trudy grimaced, "look after yourself, yeah."

"Hey, don't worry 'bout me," Jamie forced a smile. "Thanks for the food Trudy."

"You're welcome kid." Jamie carried both his and Casey's dinner to their cave. He struggled past the planks of wood and into the small space. Casey was curled up on the mattress staring at the wall. Jamie gently placed her dinner beside her. She turned to look at Jamie.

"You don't love me." The statement took Jamie back; it was so blunt, so wrong. How could she still think that? "You don't love me." Casey said louder this time. "You don't do you? Go on; tell me you don't love me!" She was screaming now. She'd never been like this before, it frightened him.

"Casey, I love you, I do, I really, really do." The words were just whispers, but they were the most sincere words to ever leave Jamie's lips.

"You don't, I hate you!" Casey screamed, she picked up the bottle of water from her dinner and threw it at Jamie. "I hate you!" She now threw the roll at him. "I _hate _you!" She threw the bowl of soup at Jamie. He ducked, and the bowl shattered on the wall behind him, soup splashed back on Jamie and a piece of the shattered bowl hit his cheek with a sharp sting.

"Casey," he whispered. She ran at him and grabbed hold of his collar.

"I hate you! You don't love me, why don't you love me?" Casey shook Jamie; her screams turned to sobs and continued to whisper she hated him, over and over. Jamie wrapped his arms around her shaking body. She buried her head into Jamie's shoulder and continued to sob. Jamie could feel the small, growing bump on her stomach brushing against him. He carefully, with just a little struggle, picked Casey up and lay her back down on the mattress. He then turned to exit the room. As he moved the planks of wood out of his way, he kept his eyes on Casey. She looked exactly the same as when he first entered the room, as if nothing ever happened. She just stared blankly at the wall in front of her; not even moving. Jamie replaced the wooden planks and then turned to the rough stone beside it. He rested his head on the wall and closed his eyes to stop his own tears.

"Jamie?" He looked around, it was Wanda. She gazed at Jamie with a worried look on her face. Jamie ran the short distance between them and threw his arms around her tiny body. Cautiously she wrapped her arms around him too.

"Oh Wanda..." Jamie sobbed into her shoulder.

"Jamie? What's wrong?" She whispered. Jamie's body shook as he sobbed into Wanda's shoulder. Wanda ran her hand over his messy hair, smoothing it down at the back. "Come on; come tell me what's wrong."

Jamie followed Wanda to her room; she moved the red doors out of the way and guided Jamie inside. Ian was lying on a mattress in the middle of the floor. He shot Wanda a worried glance as she guided Jamie in.

"Sit down," Wanda told Jamie calmly. He did as instructed. "What's wrong Jamie?"

"It's Casey."

"What's wrong with her?" Jamie was silent, how could he tell her? How could he tell her about how miserable Casey was, about her anxiety, about how she cried and begged him to lie to her, to tell her that he hated her and that he wanted her to leave him alone? How could he tell Wanda that? So he just shook his head and remained silent.

"What's wrong with him?" Ian whispered.

"Jamie?" Wanda's worried whisper saddened Jamie.

"She's not well, like emotionally not well. She's anxious and miserable. She like a Bipolar who never hits a high…" Jamie's voice trailed off. Wanda and Ian exchanged glances.

"What do you mean?"

"She threw a bowl of soup at my head and screamed the hated me. She cries herself to sleep and never gets up. She's so miserable and nothing cheers her up."

"That sounds like depression…" Ian whispered to Wanda.

"Please, please, I don't know what to do," Jamie whispered.

"We should take her to see Doc," Ian told him. Jamie nodded, he knew he had to.

* * *

><p><strong>Teen angst, teen angst, teen angst, why do I love you so? I LOVE teen angst; probably watched too much Degrassi High. I think all my fics contain teen angst. Anyway tell me what you think; it took me ages to get this chapter right. And keep an eye out for my new Harry Potter fic that should be up soon!<strong>

**TheBlackRosette**


	9. His Baby Too

Casey was asleep when Jamie got to their room. Ian and Wanda were with him. Could they move her without waking her up? He didn't want to wake her up. He liked watching her sleep; it was the only time she seemed calm and peaceful. It seemed so wrong they she had to wake up every day and remember how unhappy she was.

"Can you carry her?" Ian asked. Jamie nodded; he knew he had to risk waking her up. She needed to see Doc. Jamie slowly moved forward and gently slid his arms under Casey's body. Slowly he scooped her up and hugged her to his chest. Ian grimaced at him and Wanda patted his shoulder awkwardly. They walked slowly through the caves, taking care not to wake the sleeping Casey. Doc stood up as they walked into the Hospital wing. He looked from Jamie to Casey is concern.

"Jamie?" He asked curiously. He then looked at Ian and Wanda. "Ian?"

"Jamie," Ian looked over at Jamie who sighed. Carefully he lay Casey down on the nearest cot. He kissed her forehead lightly, and then turned but to the three people who watched him great care. Jamie met Doc's eyes and bit his lip. How would he explain Casey's behaviour?

"Casey's sick," Was all he could think of. Doc nodded slowly and carefully; his eyes not leaving Jamie's face. Jamie knew he was waiting for him to say more; but he didn't know what to say. He was stuck; stuck in a pile of brain mud, and he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"Tell Doc what you told us," Ian whispered. Doc looked across at Ian; Ian met his eyes with a sad, sincere look. Doc turned back to Jamie, who had now bitten his lip to the point of bleeding.

"She…she, I think she's depressed or anxious or something," Jamie blurted out. "She doesn't eat properly and she has these random breakdowns; like today she was just throwing whatever she could get her hands on at me; and she cries all the time; God, she _never_ stops crying. I tell her okay, I tell her she'll be okay; I tell her I love her; but she doesn't listen." Doc nodded slowly.

"Is it since she found out about the baby?" Doc asked. Jamie nodded.

"It's sort of been growing, like getting worse since she found out," Jamie added. Doc nodded again.

"Has she ever mentioned any history of mental disorders in her family?" Doc asked.

"No, why would she? Why is that important?"

"Well it could be. Do you know anything from her childhood, anything that might help?" Jamie thought about Doc's question. He knew Casey had had a brother called Tom; and that she was from New York. He also knew she was from a single parent family; but that was all. "Anything Jamie?"

"Well she didn't have a Dad," Jamie told Doc. Doc sighed; he didn't seem to think that was particularly helpful. He lifted his fingers to his temple and rubbed it slowly, taking a deep breath in he looked back up at Jamie.

"Well you can keep her here if you'd like, I can keep an eye on her. Maybe you could try and find out more about her family history, if she's in a well enough state to talk," Doc told Jamie. Jamie nodded slowly; he could see that Doc had another thing to say.

"What?"

"Well if it is the pregnancy that is upsetting her; you could consider something of a late abortion…" Doc's voice was quiet like he felt cruel saying the very words. Jamie's eye's widened at Doc's words. He shook his head and opened his mouth but nothing came out. How could Doc suggest that; how could he kill a baby and think it was the right thing? Jamie continued to back away; but now he found his voice.

"No," he whispered in horror; "no!" His voice echoed through the hospital wing. Jamie turned and ran from the hospital wing.

There was only one place where he might not be found. He ran and ran; the ground sloped downwards as he ran deeper into the Earth. He could hear the trickle of a stream; and he could smell it too. He didn't stop running until he felt his feet splash through the stream. He was at the back of the games room; a place where he was hidden by darkness; where he was alone. He sat down a curled into a ball; much like Casey did when she cried. He buried his face in his knees and began to sob. He'd screwed his life up; and he was still just a child. A child who didn't know how to deal with everything he was going through; a child who had been naïve enough to believe everything would be okay, that he and Casey would live happily ever after. He had to grow up; accept consequences. He had to grow up and accept the truth, the truth that life wasn't fair and that nothing was happily ever after.

Jamie didn't know how long he sat crying; how long he spent becoming a man; before Wanda found him. She didn't even have a flashlight and she knew exactly where to go. She tried to ask Jamie questions but he wouldn't answer. Jamie loved Wanda; but she just wasn't who he needed right now. He needed his sister.

"Mel," Jamie croaked. "I want Mel." Although he couldn't see her Jamie knew Wanda would be nodding now. He just knew. He listened to the sound of Wanda's light footsteps until the disappeared. After what seemed like no time at all, he heard more footsteps, but they weren't quite as light as Wanda's.

"Jamie?" Mel called into the darkness. Jamie sniffled loudly, Mel moved towards the sound. Bumping into Jamie slightly she sat down and pulled him into her. "Oh Jamie…" Jamie began to cry again. Mel was here. His big sister was here; just like always. He could be a child around Mel; he always could. So even as his sobs escalated and the pain in his chest grew greater he knew it was alright.

"He thought that killing Tom was a good option." Jamie sobbed. Mel smoothed his hair down and kissed his forehead.

"Who did?"

"Doc, he thought she'd be less unhappy." Mel winced, she was sure Doc had not said it quite like that.

"Jamie…"

"It's he's my baby too, he can't do that to him." Mel hugged Jamie closer and let his sobs ease off slowly. She was his big sister. It was her job to protect him; and that she would do. It hurt her to see him so unhappy; and she knew he was hurting for seeing Casey so unhappy. So for now she would just be here for him.

* * *

><p><strong>So I don't know how that last bit sounded; I was trying to right it before my laptops battery went kabloowee. By the way kabloowee is a word, well in my language it is anyway. You say it car-blue-ee, now put an Aussie accent on it and you've got it. By the way we don't all say G'day mate, trust me.<strong>

**My fic is a bit depressing isn't it :( It's beginning to depress me a little; every time Jamie cries I swear it rips MY heart into pieces! If you spot any mistakes, please let me know. R&R (Yes I'm a review beggar)**

**TheBlackRosette**


	10. The Reason Behind All

Mel slid into her room. Jared was lying on their mattress with his eyes closed as if he was asleep. Mel walked very slowly taking care not to wake Jared up. She wished he was awake though. She felt so hollow, so helpless. Jamie's problems with Casey hung over her like a dark grey cloud. Mel sat down slowly and curled into Jared's side. She closed her eyes and breathed in his familiar scent. She felt him stir and roll over to face her.

"How's Jamie?" He whispered. Mel shook her head slowly. "What happened?"

"Casey isn't well. Wanda told me when she took me to Jamie that she's depressed or anxious or something. He's hurting Jared, Jamie's hurting," Mel whispered back. "It's my fault; I should have stopped them from… I should have stopped him from being hurt!"

"Mel it isn't your fault," Jared soothed. He wrapped his arms around Mel and kissed her forehead. "It'll all be okay…" Mel looked him in the eye and held his gaze.

"You didn't hear the worst bit." Jared gave Mel a questioning gaze. "Doc told Jamie that maybe killing it was the best option."

"What?" Jared asked in a low voice. "Bastard, Jamie's sixteen! He knew that would hurt him," Jamie got up. Mel made a grab at his hand but he shook it off and stormed out of the room. Jared stormed into the corridor. Everyone stared as he stormed through the plaza and into the hospital wing corridor. Mel raced after him; the last thing the caves needed now was a fight.

"Jared!" Mel yelled. "Jared Howe!"

"No Melanie!" Jared roared over his shoulder. Mel knew he was angry now; he _never _called her Melanie anymore. Never. Jared burst into the hospital wing and looked around. Doc was sitting next to Casey talking to her. "You!" Jared roared.

"Jared!" Mel yelled coming into the hospital wing, "just leave it!"

"Is something wrong Jared?" Doc asked. Jared closed the gap between them and grabbed hold of Doc's collar. "Jared?" Doc whispered.

"Jared, stop it!"

"You! You told Jamie that killing his kid was a good idea!" Jared snarled.

"I told him it might be the best decision for Casey's health! Look at her!" Doc kept his voice level and reasoning. He looked back at Casey who had sunk back into the wall and had curled into a ball.

"He's sixteen Doc! He isn't old enough to make a decision like that!" Jared hissed. Casey whimpered and tried to press herself further into the wall.

"Jared you're scaring her, she's not well!" Melanie said slowly.

"Shut up Mel!" Jared spat.

"No Jared you shut up!" Mel snapped back harshly.

"Mel Jamie is your brother, your kid brother; aren't you angry?"

"I'm not a kid." Everyone turned to see Jamie standing in the doorway with his arms crossed across his chest. "Let Doc go." Jamie whispered. The room was still and silent apart from Casey's who continued to whimper. Jared maintained his grip on Doc's collar. "Let him go!" Jamie ordered. Jared let go of Doc's collar and widened his hands so his fingers spread out like stars, he slowly bunched his hands into fists and let them rest at his sides.

"Jared let's go," Mel whispered. She pulled at Jared's hand to tug him from the room. Jared stood his ground. "Jared, come on!"

"I need to Casey," Jamie whispered, "privately." Slowly Doc, Jared and Mel shuffled out of the room. Jamie walked towards Casey's cot. She looked up and met his eyes.

"Do you think I'm crazy?" Casey whispered. Jamie sat down next to her and he offered Vasey one of his hands, which she took, and placed the other on her belly. He shook his head slowly.

"No." Casey sat up straighter and looked at Jamie curiously. Jamie decided he needed to say more. "I think, something happened, when you were little. I think you're hurting and you're worried I'll stop loving you. Am I right?" Casey gave him a funny half nod.

"I think you're perceptive," she whispered. Jamie squeezed her hand and stoked it gently with his thumb.

"What happened?" Jamie asked carefully.

"She tried to kill herself, twice."

"Your Mum?" Casey nodded.

"It's my first memory. I found her. I suppose it scared me for life; I was only four. She tried again when I was seven. And you know what I thought; I thought, Casey Queens, you're not going to be like her. You're special and one day you'll have your own kids; and you'll love 'em to bits. I was seven; and I already thought that.

"See Mum used to drink and smoke. She used to have this boyfriend and come 'round and they'd sit in front of the telly and share a bowl; then cheated on her with some slapper. Mum got worse after that. Sometimes she was so out of it; I remember her hitting me once; I remember hitting the floor and being too scared to get up. Tom was eleven months older and he copped it worse. She'd yell and scream and tell us we screwed her life. She said I was ugly and that I looked like my Dad."

A tear slid down Casey's face; Jamie leant forward and wiped it away.

"Casey Queens, you are beautiful and amazing; and your Mum was a bitch. Hey I'm your family now; and Wanda and Mel, Jared and Ian, Doc, Jeb, Tom the second. We're all your family. And we love you." Casey smiled at Jamie.

"I love you Jamie."

"I love too Casey; you're everything to me and we're keeping that baby." Casey nodded, her face still wet with tears. She let out a small yawn; but tried to disguise it as a laugh.

"You're tired," Jamie whispered. "You should sleep, I'll come see you tomorrow; promise." Jamie kissed Casey forehead and stood up to leave. Casey grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

"Stay, please." Jamie nodded. He climbed onto the cot and put his arms around her waist. She put her head on his chest and listened to his breathing and the sound of his heart beating. She closed her eyes and let herself fall into her dreams. Jamie held onto Casey and allowed himself to do the same.

* * *

><p>Mel stood at the entrance to the cave. She'd come to check on Casey and Jamie; she'd been worrying ever since she left them alone; but now she could see they were perfectly fine. They were happy and were back on track. Jamie was happy and now she felt happy again too. It's a funny thing really; Jamie's happiness is crucial to hers.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>So chapter ten down; exciting! I think there is only a few chapters left of this story; yeah in know **sob** It'll be like an end of an era! Anyways, if you're into Harry Potter take a look at my HP fic; it's a joint fic with TeddyTan about Rose and Saffron Thomas (A little too based on us…) Review, review, review. Please or I'll have to threaten to not update until I get reviews like Wandering Dawn! Nah thanks by the way to all my readers; especially Wandering Dawn and Lee Schmitt Mellark, who've read like every chapter and STILL review!<strong>

**TheBlackRosette**


	11. Flesh and Blood

Casey gently folded the soft shirt and placed it in the pile for Ian and Wanda's room. She had volunteered to do everyone's washing; it was a nice distraction. She liked the feel of the old shirts and faded jeans that she had just washed. She wasn't a freak; but it was comforting. It seemed to help her anxiety; it was so familiar. Though her moods came day by day; sometimes she wouldn't get up and other days she was bright and perky. Casey heard footsteps approaching and looked around; it was most likely Wanda or Mel. Jamie had had them taking turns of looking after her over the past two months. He was scared she was going to slit her wrist or something. But it wasn't Wanda or Mel; it was Ian. He grimaced at Casey as he approached.

"Hey."

"No Wanda?" Casey asked.

"Ah no, she's sick. Jamie made me come; he's scared you're going to hang yourself with of these shirts of something," Casey snorted loudly, "yeah I know. A bit crazy, huh?"

"I'm fine you know. I'm almost seventeen now; think I'm a bit old for a babysitter."

"Two months ago you were almost suicidal."

"Two months ago, exactly. Seriously Ian; I'm fine. Tell Jamie that too would you." Ian sighed. He leant back against the stone wall and folded his arms across his chest. Casey ignored him and went back to folding the clothes. Sleeves in, fold in half, halve again and stack. It was a flowing, steady movement. Casey could feel Ian's eye's on her.

"Why do you fold them so . . . perfectly?" He asked watching as Casey's hands continued to fold. _Experience_; Casey snorted in her head. "Do you do it like this?" Ian sat down on the ground beside Casey and began to fold a shirt. Fold in half, fold back sleeves, fold again . . .

"Stop!" Casey gasped. Ian looked at her in shock. Casey snatched the shirt from his hands and un-folded it. She then gently re-folded it 'correctly.' Sleeves in, fold in half, halve again and stack. Ian watched her do this with great care. Casey's breathing sped up and she quickly reached for another shirt; folding it at lightening pace. Half way through Casey's folding, Ian gently lay his hands on hers; stopping them from folding.

"Are you okay?" He whispered. "I should get Jamie. . ."

"Don't!" Casey cried as Ian began to stand up. "Don't." Ian sat down again next to Casey. Casey stared at the half folded shirt.

"Casey, why do you get so . . . about the folding?"

"It's a long story."

"I have time."

"I had a shit childhood. Mum didn't do any house work; in fact she didn't work at all. My brother did do things but he was a boy so, it was never really enough. Even now I remember our flat was feral. Once, when I was six, I couldn't go to school because I had nothing to wear because nothing had been washed. So one day I started cleaning. I think I was seven. Once a week I'd fill two pillows cases with laundry and I'd walk down to the coin laundry down the road. I was infamous around the block; because I was the seven year old that turned up and the Laundromat with twenty dollars in coins and two pillows cases of dirty laundry every week.

"I did everything; I liked to think of myself as being like Matilda; do you know Matilda? Yes, I was like Matilda; I was self-reliant. I did the laundry, I made the beds, folded clothes, cleaned dishes, I did everything. It became like something I had to do. Flying Song did it too. I guess some habits never die; but now . . . it's become soothing. It is my distraction from the world." Ian nodded slowly and Casey finally looked up to meet his eyes. Ian gave her a kind, sympathetic smile.

"You had it rough," he whispered. Casey nodded. She was eager to change the subject.

"Wanda's sick?"

"Yeah, chucking all morning. . ."

"Do you think she's pregnant?" Ian looked up and studied Casey's face. He cocked his head to one side and frowned.

"I hadn't really thought of that to be honest. . ."

"Let me rephrase," Casey smiled, "do you _want_ her to be pregnant?"

"You a one perceptive little cookie, Casey."

"You do?"

"I don't really know; you know? I love Wanda so much and I would be lying if I said I haven't thought about having a kid with her. A girl maybe; and she could have pale skin and beautiful golden curls; and the most vivid blue eyes you've ever seen. And she'd be gorgeous; all mine, my flesh and blood." Casey nodded, she too could imagine that. "Do you think about him or her?" Ian asked pointing at Casey's stomach.

"Of course, haven't thought about much else in months. I imagine a little boy; he's tan and has dark brown, shaggy hair that I push out of his eyes all the time. It needs a cut; but he hates haircuts. And his eyes, they would sparkle with joy and they would be emerald green, like mine. He has a dimple is his chin too; that deepens when he smiles. But every other part of him would be like Jamie. Ours, our flesh and blood." Ian closed his eyes and smiled. He leant back against the wall, as did Casey.

"I can imagine that; Jamie Junior."

"No, Tom. He would be called Tom." Ian opened one eye and studied Casey's face.

"Tom?"

"My brother." Ian nodded, and then snorted. Casey felt hurt.

"Sorry, I wasn't snorting at you. I was thinking about what would happen if I named my kid Kyle." Casey smiled and Ian gave a quiet chuckle. "Nah, Tom's good. It's a nice name."

"Do you wanna feel?" Casey asked. Ian's brow furrowed and he gave Casey a funny look. "The baby, I mean." Ian nodded slowly. Casey leaned over and grabbed his hand. She laid it gently on her stomach. Ian felt the flutter under his palm as the baby gave a kick.

"That's amazing." Ian smiled, "how long left?"

"Two months maybe. I'm not really sure." Ian nodded. "Hey, Ian?"

"Yes, Casey?"

"Do you think it's lunchtime 'cause I am _starving_!" Casey laughed. Ian chuckled. He stood up and then helped Casey onto her feet. The two then headed to the kitchen together, laughing as they went.

* * *

><p><strong>I know it was a filler, sorry. But I kind of thought it was important in a way. It's like Casey coming to terms with things. Plus I really like Casey and Ian as friends. It works; in a weird way.<strong>

**Review please! And have a look at my HP fic…**

**TheBlackRosette ;) (Loves self-advertising [Especially when she should be writing an essay for English!]) **


	12. Tom Queens Stryder

Casey dropped her head into Ian's lap and groaned. She lifted her feet up onto the next seat along from her in the kitchen. It was thirty-nine degrees and the caves had become like a giant oven. This of course only added to Casey's discomfort as the baby had moved itself ready to come out and Casey's ankles had swollen to the point of not actually having ankles. Jamie and Ian liked to tease her about having cankles.

"Greetings, Cankles, and how is my favourite second favourite lady today?" Ian chortled.

"The same as ever." She sighed. "I need to pee."

"You always need to pee."

"Shut up."

"Where's Jamie?"

"Cleaning mirrors with Jeb and Jared." Casey closed her eyes, "am I melting?"

"Almost." Casey groaned and Ian chuckled. "Your hair looks terrible when was the last time you had a wash?" Casey whacked Ian's arm, "don't worry your hair is beautiful, I'm just teasing." Casey felt self-conscious now; she hadn't washed her hair in three days. It felt greasy and gritty, definitely not beautiful. She ran a hand through her hair, it really needed a wash.

"You wanna come with me? I'm going to have a wash." Casey told Ian.

"God Casey, I love you and all and I _know_ I'm totally irresistible but really you're about to have Jamie's baby, and I really do love Wanda," Ian joked. Casey rolled her eyes pointedly.

"Get over yourself, you can sit by the river and talk to me!" Casey sat up and slowly pulled herself from the chair, even that smallest movement made her ankles ache; but there was something else too; though Casey just couldn't work out what exactly.

* * *

><p>Casey emerged from the dark pool and shook the water out of her hair. Being clean felt nice, really, really nice. Casey sighed happily and began scrubbing her arm with the cactus soap. She was so used to the sting now that she barely even noticed it. She listened carefully and heard Ian whistling. She smiled to herself and washed off the remaining soap. And then . . .<p>

Pain.

Casey clutched her belly and gasped.

"Casey? Are you alright?" Ian called out tentatively. The pain eased off. Casey dropped her hands.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She climbed cautiously out of the dark bathing pool and found her way to her towel. She quickly dried herself off and pulled on her stretched shirt and shorts. Casey waddled out of the one cave and into the next. Ian watched her leave carefully. Casey forced a smile at him. He frowned; Ian knew that Casey smile was not genuine.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Ian asked. Casey nodded and began to say yes when the pain began again. Casey cried out in pain and Ian ran forward. "Is it coming?" He asked.

"I think so," Casey whispered. Ian whipped Casey up off her feet and into his arms and began moving fast. He got through the tunnel quickly and burst into the busy main cavern. People looked up in surprise and concern but moved out of the way quickly. Jamie and Jeb were holding a ladder in place across the cavern. Trudy grabbed the ladder for Jamie and he sprinted across the room to Ian's fast moving figure.

"What happened?' He asked Ian as he ran alongside.

"It's coming." Ian and Jamie ran through the dark tunnel that lead to the hospital wing. The only sound was their footsteps and Casey's groans. They burst into the well-lit cave that was the hospital wing. Doc who had been sitting at his desk with his feet up on the surface looked up in surprise. Candy, who had been counting how much of the medicine they had left and calculating when they would need to make a trip to get more, also looked up in surprise.

"When did her water's break?" Doc asked.

"I. . ." Jamie started.

"I don't know, I've been with her all day," Ian replied over the top of Jamie. Jamie looked across at Ian and studied his face. From his expression you'd think it was _his_ baby that coming! Ian lay Casey down on the nearest cot.

"I think it happened when I was having a bath. . ." Casey told Doc in between groans.

"How long between contractions?" Candy asked Ian. Ian answered, Candy, Doc and Ian all turned to Casey. Jamie stood back watching. What the hell? He was practically being shut out of this! He turned and walked out into the tunnel. As soon as he reached the darkness where nobody could see him, he kicked the wall as hard as he could. Slowly he turned around and slid down the wall until he was sitting. He put his head down into his hands and sat there silently. Down the tunnel in one direction he could hear the sounds of Casey's pain and back the other way he could hear people in the main cavern chatting and going about their business; probably on their way to lunch. He didn't know how long he sat there listening, but it must have been longer than he thought. He heard footsteps approaching him. Someone tripped over his foot and jut caught their balance before they fell.

"What the hell?" It was Mel.

"Mel?" Jamie's voice came out slightly croaky.

"Jamie, what are you doing out here?"

"I don't know."

"Why aren't you with Casey? Isn't the baby coming?"

"She's fine. She's got Ian with her." Mel sat down beside Jamie.

"Jamie, that is _your_ baby. Get in there and see it be born!" Mel told Jamie. "Come on!" She stood up again and grabbed Jamie's hands. "Come on, Jamie!" Mel pulled Jamie into the hospital.

Casey was on the bed holding a tiny bundle in her arms. Ian had his head resting on her shoulder and was looking at the baby too. Jamie gritted his teeth together and Mel gave his hand a squeeze. Casey looked up and smiled at Jamie and Mel.

"A boy," Doc told them.

"Does he have a name?" Candy asked Casey and Jamie. Casey looked up at Jamie again.

"Tom," Jamie told Candy.

"Tom Queens Stryder," Casey added. Ian smiled at the baby.

"Welcome to the land of the living Tom, you are currently located in a lava tube system in the middle of a desert in Arizona." Ian laughed.

"So specific," Casey laughed with him. Jamie sat down the other side of Casey and looked down at his son. Tom has soft, dark hair on his head. He was wide awake and looking around; Jamie noticed that Tom had Casey's eyes; a pretty emerald green. Mel leant over Jamie's shoulder and looked down at her nephew and sighed. Everyone in the room just watched the baby, truly in awe.

* * *

><p><strong>I know, okay. That was horrendous. I had so much trouble writing it though. I have been trying to get this finished for two weeks but I was just getting stuck. There's only one chapter to go by the way and a major twist ending! <strong>

**I want to apologise to Wandering Dawn. I feel bad. I told you this update was going to be up almost a week ago; but I got stuck. And I watched more Degrassi even though I knew I should have been writing. So I'm sorry about that, but Eli's meltdowns, Jake's adorable face and K.C.'s all-round gorgeousness was calling me. Please forgive me.**

**Happy Holidays!**

**TheBlackRosette **


	13. Turning Point

**It's a long one and the last too. Please don't hate me.**

* * *

><p>Everyone in the caves was desperate for a hold of little Tom. He was like a beautiful ray of sunshine that the caves had been given. Nobody even much minded the constant crying all night long. They'd just roll over and politely ignore it. At meal times everyone rushed to get seats around Jamie or Casey.<p>

"I remember when you were just a tiny newborn," Mel told Jamie one day at lunch, "you looked just like Tom. Beautiful you were. I was seven years old and I thought that you were the best thing ever in my whole life. I still think that sometimes." Mel touched Jamie's face lovingly and then looked back at Tom in Casey's arms.

"Excuse me?" Jared snorted from behind her.

"Oh Jared, baby, you know Jamie and Tom and Wanda all come before you!" Mel laughed and he smacked her playfully in the arm before leaning over and kissing her cheek. Jamie chortled at the short exchange and nudged Casey to see what she thought. Jamie could tell, though, by the look on Casey's face that she was miles away. He worried that she was beginning to become unwell again but then Casey smiled towards the exit. Jamie followed her gaze and saw that Ian had just come into the kitchen and was now leant up against the doorway smirking. Jamie looked back at Casey, then to Ian and finally back to Casey again. He sensed something. Something was not right in this situation. It was then it hit him. How had he been so blind? Casey was in love with Ian, and Ian, well Ian could very well be in love with her too.

No.

No. No. No. Jamie screamed over and over in his head. This could not be happening to him. He watched as Ian moved slowly across the room towards them. There were no free seats around them, so Casey moved over so Ian could share her seat. Ian willingly did so. The tension between them was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Jamie could feel tears prickling in the back of his eyes and he had a sudden urge to deck Ian. Without realising he was doing it Jamie stood up abruptly. Everyone turned to look at him.

Looking away he mumbled out, "excuse me," before rushing towards and out the mouth of the cave. Everyone just looked at each other for a moment wondering what had come over Jamie, but then Ian slid onto Jamie's now vacant seat and conversation assumed as before.

* * *

><p>Casey slid into her and Jamie's room and leaned up against the wall. Jamie was sitting against the opposite wall. His elbows were on his knees and his hands were pushing on his forehead as if they were propping up his whole body. Casey gazed at Jamie with great wonder but he refused to meet her eyes. Finally after an extended period of awkward silence Casey spoke.<p>

"What the bloody hell was that about?" Casey asked. Jamie pushed his tongue against the inside of his cheek but still did not look up. "Shit Jamie! You looked like you were about to deck somebody and you won't even tell me why?"

Casey voice was high and shrill. It echoed in the small space, bouncing backwards and forwards off the walls. When Jamie final spoke his soft, gentle tone sounded almost wrong compared to Casey's.

"Where's Tom?"

"With Wanda and Mel." Jamie nodded slowly. "So what happened?"

"Like you don't know." The words hit Casey like a bus. Jamie's voice was laced with venom and something verging on disgust.

"Know what?" Casey whispered breathlessly.

"After everything you went through!"

"What is it?"

"After everything I put up with. . ."

"What are you. . ."

" And the shit from your childhood and. . ."

"Tell me!"

"I loved you. I love you!"

"For Christ's sake, Jamie!"

"You love Ian!" Casey's jaw dropped. Somehow during their yelling Jamie had stood up and moved towards Casey and now their noses were only centimetres apart. They stood staring into each other's eyes, catching their breath, for a long time. Neither said a word. Neither thought it to be appropriate. Twice Casey thought she was going to break the silence. Twice she was wrong. On her third try, however, she did decide to speak.

"I never meant to." She whispered.

"But you do," Jamie hissed back. He pushed past Casey and left the room. Casey covered her face with her hands and shook her head. This wasn't happening. What was she going to do? She needed to talk to Jamie, yes, but she needed to talk to Ian first. She walked to Ian's cave slowly and deliberately. When she reached the cave with the doors propped up over the entrance, she just stood for a moment not doing anything. What if she'd imagined everything? What if Ian just thought she was some child with a stupid little crush? Casey raised her hand to knock.

"Casey?" Casey's head whipped around. Ian was walking towards her. His hair was wet and dripping. 'Must have had bath,' Casey thought absent-mindedly. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk," Casey whispered, "to you." Ian nodded and moved one of the doors out of the way so they could get into the cave. Casey hovered at the edge of the room just beside the door, while Ian sat down on the mattress on the floor that he shared with Wanda.

"What's up?" Ian asked cheerfully. Casey just looked at him, unsure of what to say now that the time had come. Ian must have seen something in Casey's expression that worried him. "Are you getting sick again? Should you go see Doc?" Ian asked cautiously. Casey shook her head.

"Jamie and I had a fight." Casey told Ian softly. Ian's grimaced and a look of sympathy crossed his face.

"That sucks, Case, what about?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Okay. Shoot."

"Where's Wanda? Will she be back soon?" Confusion was evident Ian's face.

"She's helping make bread, won't be back for ages." Ian said slowly. "Why?"

"Jamie thinks I'm in love with you."

"Was that…"

"What the argument was about?" Casey finished Ian's sentence. "Yes."

"Why would he think that?" Ian asked. He stood up and moved across the cave to Casey. She looked down, refusing to meet his eyes. "Case, why would he say that?" Ian breathed. Ian was now standing just inches from Casey. He reached forward and grabbed Casey's chin between his thumb and index finger, he pulled her head upwards and stared into her eyes.

"Do you love me?" Ian whispered.

"Yes." Casey responds, "but you don't love me." Ian's brow creased and instead of dropping his hand from Casey's face as she expected, he moved his hands so they were holding her face between them.

"Why would you think that?" He questioned.

"Because you have Wanda and you're perfect together. You're everything I wish I was with Jamie," Casey told Ian, "I'm basically a failure."

"No you're not."

"Yes I am. You're so perfect, Ian, why can't I be perfect like you?" Tears had begun to well in the back of Casey's eyes. Ian smiled and let out a bemused chortle. A solitary tear slid down Casey's cheek and Ian wiped it off carefully with his thumb. He leaned closer to Casey and stared straight into her eyes.

"Casey, nobody is perfect. But I reckon… you're pretty close," Ian breathed. He closed the miniscule gap between them and pressed his lips lightly to Casey's. He pulled back just slightly and whispered against Casey's lips: "I do love you." Casey pushed her head forward and smashed her lips into Ian's. It was like a wildfire had been ignited. Her hands threaded through his hair and latched on. Ian's arms wrapped around Casey's waist and he pulled her into him. The kiss deepened and Casey felt completely elated. She was breathless but that didn't matter because she never wanted this moment to end. Casey felt herself being pushed against the rough, stone wall. The stone was cool on her back in comparison to the heat that was fast spreading around her. She barely realised what she was doing until her legs were wrapped tightly around Ian's waist. If he stopped, if he moved away from her she would hit the ground as she was only being held up by Ian and the wall. Ian's lip strayed from Casey's and he created trails of heat over her jaw, down her neck and all the way to her collarbone. The heat spread further as Ian explored more. Soon her jaw, her neck, her collarbones, her cheeks, her ears, her everything was on fire. Ian's lips returned to hers and finally he pulled away and rested his forehead against his.

"This can never happen again," Ian told Casey sadly. "I'm sorry but it can't."

"I know," Casey breathed.

"Casey, you're seventeen. I'm twenty-seven, I feel horrible like I've taken advantage of you," Casey could hear the pain in Ian's voice; she knew this must be as hard for him as it was for her. Casey lifted her hand up and placed it on Ian's cheek.

"You would never do that," she whispered sincerely. Ian smiled slightly at Casey and Casey smiled a half smile back. "So what happens now?" She asked. Ian sighed.

"I'll go talk to Jeb and ask him to move to Nate's place." Ian told Casey. Casey's eyebrows raised and Ian realised Casey did not know about Nate and his cluster of humans. "Nate is guy we have contact with; he has his own group of humans. Not as many as here, but still some." Casey realised what Ian was implying, she shook her head.

"No."

"Casey, it's the only way. I can't see you every day and have these thoughts that make me feel like a sick, twisted jerk. And you need to be with Jamie and Tom."

"But what about Wanda and your child?"

"I don't know," Ian whispered.

"I'll go."

"No, Casey…"

"I'll go. I'll take Tommy and we'll go, Jamie can stay here or he can come with us." Casey told Ian. "This is your home and it has been so for a lot longer than it has been mine."

"You can't ask Jamie to choose between his son and his family."

"I have to." A long, painful silence followed, until finally Ian asked the most painful question yet.

"When are you going to leave?

"As soon as possible, I guess."

"So this is goodbye?" Ian's question was so full of pain that it made Casey want to cry. She nodded slightly and a small sob came out of her mouth.

"Yeah, this is goodbye." She whispered, Ian leant forward and lightly pressed his lips to Casey's. After what seemed like so little time to them both he pulled away and just gazed into Casey's eyes. Casey dropped her hand from Ian's face and turned to the door. Carefully she moved one of the doors propped over the exit out of the way and slid out of the cave; then she went to find Jeb. She tried to contain the longing and the pain building up inside her but her efforts were nothing. Tears spilled from her eyes and raggedly sobs followed. She was still sobbing when she reached Jeb's room; and as she knocked and waited for Jeb to appear she realised the plain, ugly truth of what was about to happen and who she was leaving. And deep down Casey knew, she'd never find someone like Ian ever again.

* * *

><p><strong>Please don't hate me. Please, I hate myself for writing something that evil and depressing. I love Ian and I love Jamie, so this kind of made me die a little on the inside. And I'm so sorry about the ridiculously long break between chapters. I've been really busy with school and commitments. <strong>

**So I've decided there will be a sequel, which will hopefully be up soon. I just thought, this part of the story have reached its end but there is still more to extend on. So that will be a sequel. I can tell you that you will be seeing a teenage Tom and he will look like Josh Hutcherson. I've always imagined Jamie looking like Jessie Aarons (Josh Hutcherson's character in Bridge to Terabithia) and that my Jamie in this looks like Peeta Mellark minus the blonde hair. I should make Jamie or Tom help make bread…**

**So hopefully you will all read my sequel and enjoyed this story. Oh and thank you especially to Wandering Dawn who has consistently reviewed pretty much every chapter. And thank you to everyone who read every chapter and everyone who reviewed, favourite and alerted. It means a lot, it really does.**

**The Black Rosette**


	14. Author's Note and Ackowledgment

**So here's a list of everyone who reviewed/favourite/alerted this story. I wanted to acknowledge all of you and say thank you because it really means a lot to me. So thank you to all of you. And thank you to everyone who has read the story but not reviewed/favourited/alerted as well. I know there are others and I want to thank them as well. Thank you!**

Wandering Dawn

NarniaPrincess21

Lee Odair

Smileyface209

Hazeliebear

Evanescence918

Anmapamo

Leiaa768

Puckabrina Alee

Leafygirlnat

Anon

Ian lover

Crazybread

DemonicDaughter

Hotstar0987

LizzyCullen1995

Midnite17XP

Nettie13

Nickinick94

SallyLynn

Somuchcrazierthanu

Zfrida1

Alissarhode

Devanelle

Golden-ribbons

**Thank you again!**

**The Black Rosette**


End file.
